How does one break an unfavorable chess game?
When you know it's a certain-death situation, why continue? It's better to overturn the chessboard and start over—this time, it's uncertain who will emerge victorious.
Although the Princess's status is noble, an unloved pawn of a princess is far too weak.
However, bowing and begging for mercy or showing weakness to the enemy because of one's own frailty is a major taboo in the game of strategy. Not only will you miss the chance to lie low and grow stronger, but you'll also be bullied to death.
If you're accustomed to being bullied, even a desperate counterattack in the end won't harm the opponent in the slightest.
The original host's outcome is the best example.
The weaker you are, the more reckless you must appear—let others see your determination to stake everything, to burn your bridges, so they fear you and you can secure a space to survive.
The imperial physician was urgently summoned, applying acupuncture and administering medicine until the person was finally revived.
The Lu family had always been aloof and prized their reputation, never allowing others to catch their mistakes. This was the first time the Lu family was at a disadvantage, appearing as if waiting for execution with their necks outstretched.
Xiao Li heard a heavy thud behind her and slowly turned to see a blood-covered person collapsed not far behind her. After falling, the body twitched, a trembling hand reaching out to her with pleading eyes begging for rescue.
Yet the most striking feature was that slender, pale hand—distinct knuckles gripping a horsewhip studded with barbs, now dripping with blood. Without a doubt, it belonged to the person on the ground.
Xuan Yang had actually done a good deed. She must seize this opportunity to humble the Lu family's arrogance.
There were many palace servants along the way who, upon seeing Xiao Li, merely bowed from a distance. Some even scrutinized her with subtle glances—Xiao Li understood this was surely due to the matter concerning the Imperial son-in-law.
He clearly seemed extraordinary, yet the clothes he wore marked him as a eunuch! "Your Highness."
He meticulously examined Lu Yanzhi's condition and conclusively declared that there was nothing wrong with Lu Yanzhi's health.
"Here!"
As it happened, Lu Yanzhi already had a head injury, and under intense stimulation, he directly fainted.
Vice Minister Lu immediately knelt upon hearing this: "Yanzhi is guilty, I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"
Before this, it was the Princess who had struck the Imperial son-in-law, so the fault lay with the Princess. But now, the fault lay with Lu Yanzhi.
He was young, fond of amusement, lacking in cunning or scheming—he spoke whatever came to mind, never considering what his careless words might imply.
The Empress Dowager was furious, truly wanting to punish him severely: "Guards…"
The Empress Dowager took the chance to have someone check if Lu Yanzhi had any physical deficiencies. The imperial physician had some connection to the Lu family and, aware of the situation's details, wanted to do the Lu family a favor.
Two men dressed as eunuchs rushed over aggressively, their faces fierce, but upon seeing Xiao Li, they quickly checked themselves. Exchanging a glance, they simultaneously knelt and saluted: "Your Highness."
Having been married for three years without consummating the marriage and treating the Princess coldly—the charges of duplicity and contempt for imperial authority were unavoidable.
With that, she directly assigned a eunuch to approach Xiao Li.
Only after Xiao Li had walked far away did the other eunuch nervously look at his superior.
The man instinctively glanced up at her, then his pupils contracted the next moment. With a horrified expression as if he'd seen a ghost, he stumbled backward in terror and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Yet, his delicacy didn't appear effeminate—he wasn't effeminate but instead carried an indescribable sense of sinister, powerful danger.
Is… this a eunuch?
Xiao Li glanced at the bloodied figure gasping its last breath on the ground, then at the eunuch standing as rigid as an ice pillar. She raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing before turning to leave. A palace attendant answered: "We await the Empress Dowager's punishment."
Xiao Li randomly pointed at a young eunuch, intending to have him lead her to the palace gates.
"So Lu Yanzhi is perfectly healthy – he simply doesn't like my elder sister." The speaker was the young Prince Wei.
The Empress Dowager suppressed her anger: "Wait for what?"
"Rise."
Although the Lu family's power and influence were substantial enough to make the Emperor wary, they ultimately couldn't surpass imperial authority. Now that this was clearly the Lu family's fault, if the Emperor chose to make an issue of it, the Lu family wouldn't dare utter a word.
Xiao Li's move proved quite effective.
The Emperor's mood was somewhat complicated. Grand Secretary Lu was his mentor and the chief minister left by the previous emperor to assist his rule, which made the Emperor always feel somewhat inferior before the Lu family.
Gossip is human nature, especially when it's something as explosive as the Imperial son-in-law being impotent.
Xiao Li knew nothing about court politics – she had already figured out how to escape anyway.
So when the Empress Dowager returned and sent for the Xuan Yang Princess, she was informed that the Princess had already departed, leaving behind a message.
"Has Her Highness lost her way? This servant will immediately have someone guide you."
The newcomer was tall and imposing, his entire being radiating an intimidating coldness that made him seem unapproachable.
No one knew what the Emperor said to the Empress Dowager, but afterwards the Empress Dowager never mentioned punishing the Xuan Yang Princess. As for Xiao Li, having shaken off the palace attendants, she headed toward the palace exit but got lost, wandering into unknown corridors.
Though she was one of the subjects of the gossip, the greater embarrassment belonged to Lu Yanzhi. She wasn't angry – in fact, she hoped they'd spread the news far and wide.
An utterly emotionless gaze fell upon Xiao Li as the man performed a perfectly measured bow – respectful yet without servility.
"Mother!" The Emperor strode in briskly, unable to conceal his delight as he waved off the attendants: "All of you, withdraw."
Only a fool would wait to be scolded when they knew the Empress Dowager was angry and would surely torment them upon return.
But what surprised Xiao Li was his appearance – he possessed exceptionally handsome features with delicate facial structure, thick eyebrows and phoenix eyes, and a tall nose bridge. However, his gloomy eyes and abnormally pale skin gave him an extremely yin and effeminate aura.
"The Princess said she recognizes her offense and dares not remain here to upset the Empress Dowager, so she has returned to her residence to await punishment."
"Come here"
He knew full well that topics like impotence could destroy a man, especially someone as noble and transcendent as Lu Yanzhi – the damage from such rumors would be immeasurable. Thus, the speaker even staked his future to clear Lu Yanzhi's name: "If I speak even half a falsehood, I am willing to sever both hands and never practice medicine again."
Xiao Li was in the midst of granting the two young eunuchs permission to rise when the newcomer's appearance shocked her into speechlessness.
A tall figure emerged from around the corner immediately after, his slender form wrapped in a grand eunuch's robe of burgundy-black jacquard, neatly cinched at the waist.
While others might see it as suffering eight hundred losses while inflicting one thousand on the enemy, Xiao Li wasn't the original owner of this body and didn't care about reputation or virtue. Thus, the damage to her was negligible, whereas Lu Yanzhi would never live it down.
The original host knew how to exit the palace, but she had never traveled these remote paths before.
"Your Excellency, the Princess has seen…"
The eunuch in purple robes stepped forward, and with a sharp crack, the person on the ground’s neck twisted, completely lifeless.
“No matter.” Just a princess who couldn’t even protect herself.